Articles

 First anniversary for local market

One year ago, four Thrapston ladies launched the first ever farmers’ market in Thrapston. Twelve months later, with more stalls than ever and a waiting list of even more, over £2000 donated to local causes and plenty of happy shoppers, the market is thriving. The 5th September market will be extra alive with fun and entertainment for all to enjoy in helping celebrate the anniversary, including live music from Caprice Duo, a street magician, face painting and a vintage tractor to admire.

Two Thrapston business women, Charlotte Croser and Heidi Nemeth, decided in early 2014 that what Thrapston needed was a regular event in the town centre to attract shoppers and to celebrate what the town and the local area has to offer. As a historic market town surrounded by farms and talented producers and 145-year-old weekly cattle market, a farmers’ market was top of the idea list.

Local event organisers and valued community fundraisers, Lindsey Burch and Zoey Boon, were asked to join the organising team and jumped at it. The team decided that this would be a market unlike others in the area – run by the community, for the community and raising funds to benefit the town.

Thrapston Farmers’ Market now boasts over 20 stalls which attend monthly, when in season, and fills the length of High Street on the first Saturday of each month. The market has brought a real buzz to Thrapston and has become an integral part of the monthly calendar in the community. You will find fresh meats including game, poultry, beef, sausages of many flavours and dietary requirements, plus a variety of cheeses - soft, hard, goat and cow cheeses - plus many sweet and savoury baked goods at every market.

Manor Farm from Lincolnshire always has a colourful array of seasonal fruit and vegetables as well as fresh flowers. Find preserves, local honey, sauces and eggs too. The market also hosts a range of different alcoholic drinks all made and brewed locally: beers, wine and cider. Shoppers with special dietary requirements will find gluten-free baked goods and sausages, as well as meat and dairy-free sausages from Brown’s Gourmet Sausages.

Pets are not forgotten as you can choose dog treats all homemade using natural ingredients for different doggie diets. New to the market this summer are Real Artisan Bread with a range of artisan breads including tomato bread, olive bread, flatbreads, sourdough and croissants, and Replete Flatbreads with a range of handmade flatbreads stuffed with different flavours from around the world, using local flour and ingredients.

According to Charlotte Croser, chair of Thrapston Farmers’ Market, almost every pound received from stallholder rents is ploughed back into improving facilities in the community and town centre, with just a modest, necessary amount used for administering and promoting the market.

So far, Thrapston Farmers’ Market has donated £500 to the Bridge of Grace Food Bank at Thrapston Baptist Church, £250 towards renovating a dilapidated wall along High Street, and £1500 has been pledged to pay for a new community notice board in the town centre. The donations will keep coming as the market grows.

Regulated by FARMA, the industry regulating body, Thrapston Farmers’ Market prides itself on only taking on stallholders which offer truly local products, made or grown by the stallholder and using locally sourced ingredients. The market organisers work hard to nurture the welcoming, sociable atmosphere at each market.

Thrapston Farmers’ Market is located on High Street, Thrapston, NN14 4JH on the first Saturday of each month, except January.

www.thrapstonfarmersmarket.moonfruit.com

www.facebook.com/thrapstonfarmersmarket

For stall enquiries please call 01832 358915 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.